After Trip to Senegal, MMA Fight Academy’s Khadim Dia Learned to Take Nothing for Granted

Khadim Dia stopped taking everything for granted after spending a few months in Senegal, where some of his family still resides.

Dia (2-0) is one of 24 up-and-coming fighters from around the world selected by Mola TV’s MMA Fight Academy program to train full-time in San Diego in hopes to reach their goal as professional athletes. Fighting out of Milan, Italy, but also having Senegalese origins, Dia had a troubled youth marked by substance abuse. The situation reached a point that his family sent him to Senegal to reflect on his life choices. However, it also helped him find his life's purpose, which is fighting. During his time in exile, he used his solitude to self-reflect and discovered a passion for combat sports. Now, Dia is proud to be part of the MMA Fights Academy project and grateful to Mola TV for their support and opportunity. Dia is also excited to compete against Milton Afonso Cabral and is looking forward to performing at his best on his own soil at the upcoming Cage Warriors 154 event in Rome on May 6.

“I had some issues when I was younger in Italy. I was the kind of person who wanted to experiment with everything, I was going out doing some trouble. I think I was like every kid, but I pushed a little bit more the limits. My mom and my father chose to send me some months to Senegal. I stayed there for months to see a different reality and to know what people were going through in the ‘Third World,’ as we considered Africa. It changed my perspective and put more effort into the things to do. I stopped to give everything for granted.”

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro
(00:43) Preparing for CW 154
(01:14) Taking part in MMA Fight Academy
(01:46) Mola TV’s investments in Italy
(02:21) Taking up MMA
(03:16) Moving across Italy to train
(03:55) His passion for MMA
(04:36) His family
(05:34) Visiting Senegal after having some troubles in Italy
(06:13) The difference between Senegal and Italy
(06:52) The thoughts of Khadim’s mom on his career
(08:08) Aiming to win the Cage Warriors contract